This special episode is a recording of a recent talk at Chaplaincy VUW by Professor Cyril Hovorun. Cyril is an archimandrite in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and teaches international relations at University College Stockholm. Having worked for a decade as personal secretary to Patriarch Kirill of Moscow — and having since been defrocked by him — Cyril speaks with unusual personal knowledge of the key figures and ideas driving Russia's theology of war. He traces the development of "sacred war" rhetoric in the Russian Orthodox Church, contrasts it with the Ukrainian search for a theology of peace, and draws on the Christological thought of Maximus the Confessor to argue that any genuine peace must be grounded in ethics and justice. The talk is followed by a lively Q&A session.

Show notes

Vsevolod Chaplin (1968–2020)— right-hand man to Patriarch Kirill

The Theology of Maidan, Cyril Hovorun (Dec 2013)

Aleksandr Dugin (1962–), Russian political theorist

Carl Schmitt (1888–1985), German political theorist

Paul W. Kahn, Political Theology: Four New Chapters on the Concept of Sovereignty (2011)

St Maximus the Confessor (~580–662), theologian

Leontius of Byzantium (485–543), theologian

Tertullian (155–220), theologian

St Augustine of Hippo (354–430, theologian and philosopher 

“The best physics we know about, the deepest we've gone, looks for all the world like it's got fingerprints on it.” In this episode, Rayne and Matthew interview Dr Luke Barnes. Luke is an astrophysicist at Western Sydney University, and was in town to give a lecture called “Why does the universe appear fine-tuned for life?”. Dr Barnes is the arguably the world’s leading expert on the apparent fine-tuning of the universe, working on this from both astronomical and philosophical angles. As well as exploring that topic, we get into a bit of his life story, including growing up in a young-earth creationist church context; the problem of evil; the purpose of academic publishing; and the relationship between science and religious faith more generally.

Show notes

• A Fortunate Universe: Life in a Finely Tuned Cosmos — Luke Barnes & Geraint Lewis (2016)

• 'A Reasonable Little Question: A Formulation of the Fine-Tuning Argument', Ergo, Volume 6, No. 42, 2019–2020

• The Penultimate Curiosity: How Science Swims in the Slipstream of Ultimate Questions, Andrew Briggs & Roger Wagner (2016)

• The Experience of God: Being, Consciousness, Bliss , David Bentley Hart, ⁠(2013)

• Atheist Delusions: The Christian Revolution and Its Fashionable Enemies, David Bentley Hart (2009)

• The Cosmic Trilogy, CS Lewis (1938)

In this episode, Rayne and guest-host Dr Michaela Richards chat with Emeritus Professor in the Study of Religion, Dr Paul Morris. Paul Morris talks with us about religious diversity and religious literacy, and the state of Religious Studies both globally and in Aotearoa New Zealand. Paul offers an incisive challenge to the ways in which we think about religion, secular privilege, and the role of religious inter-religious dialogue. 

In this episode, Rayne and Rayne chat with Rev. Scottie Reeve. Scottie is an Anglican priest located in Brooklyn, Wellington. He is the author of the book 21 Elephants and host of a podcast by the same name. This episode explores themes of faith, intentional Christian community, the risky business of following Jesus, and hope as an interruption to our lives and our current ways of being. While this episode was recorded over a year ago now, and therefore is a little outdated, the themes of hope remain relevant in seeking personal and social transformation.

In this episode, Rayne and Mika chat with Nick Townsend. Nick is an academic and theologian from England who specialises in Christian politics and ethics. The conversation covers the history of individualism in the West, Catholic Social Teaching and Christian ethics, and conceptualisations of the common good. Nick outlines the role of businesses, workers, governments, and citizens in forming and contributing to the common good, in order to build a society where everyone can flourish.

References

• Laborem Exercens (1981) | John Paul II
• CCLA – common-good focused investment bank
• Together For The Common Good (UK charity)
• Charles Taylor, Sources of the Self: The Making of the Modern Identity (1989)
• Lynn Stout, The Shareholder Value Myth: How Putting Shareholders First Harms Investors, Corporations, and the Public (2004)
• Nicholas Townsend, 'Blue Labour + Red Tory = Christian Democracy?' (2015)

In this episode, Mika and Rayne chat with Dr Jonathan Cornford. Jonathan is an economist, theologian, and ecologist from Bendigo, Australia. We chat with Jonathan about Christianity and the rise of capitalism, the failures of socialism, Christian economic ethics, and how to expand capitalist-free-zones. Jonathan considers what Christian witness in the midst of capitalism might look like, and how the Gospel is truly good news for everyone. 

You can find more of Jonathan’s word at Manna Gum, including more resources on the intersections between economics, ecology, and theology.

In this episode, Mika and Matthew interview Dr Roshan Allpress, the principal of Laidlaw Theological College in Auckland. Roshan's book British Philanthropy in the Globalizing World was recently published by Oxford University Press. His research centres on the British evangelical networks of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, who were instrumental in ending the slave trade in the British empire and beyond, as well as pressing for numerous other social reforms inspired by their evangelical Christian faith. The conversation explores the complexity and compromise involved in achieving lasting social change within the ambiguous economic and power structures that shape our worlds.

In this episode, Mika and friend-of-the-podcast Justine Lee interview Peter Fraser. Peter (Ngāti Hauiti ki Rangitikei) is an economist, academic, and sandblaster from the Hutt Valley. The conversation delves into the shape of the New Zealand economy, the dairy industry, climate change, Maori economic development, and the future of New Zealand. Peter shares his personal journey from growing up in Wellington, working for the government and different departments, to eventually reinventing himself as the "sand blasting economist". Fraser also discusses his viewpoints on New Zealand's economic policies, the impact of the dairy industry on the environment and economy, and the challenges of making significant changes in these areas due to political and economic constraints. He touches upon his experiences in local politics and his candid thoughts about the future challenges facing New Zealand and the world at large, especially in the context of climate change and sustainable practices.

Show notes

In this episode, Mika, Rayne, and friend of the podcast Mary Hutchinson chat with theologian Dr. Bethany Sollereder. Bethany is a lecturer in science and religion at the University of Edinburgh, and specialises in theology concerning evolution and the problem of suffering. We chat with Bethany about the intersections between science and religion, the morality of pain, and various theologies of suffering within the Christian tradition. Bethany offers us profound thoughts about suffering and the hope that God’s kingdom continues to come on earth as in heaven.

Show notes

In this episode, Rachel and Rayne chat with their former Religious Studies tutor, Cam Graham. Cam recently finished his Masters in Religious Studies, focusing on Christains in leadership within the public sphere. Rachel, Rayne, and Cam talk about the awkwardness of being religious in the public space, religion and deliberative democracy, and dynamics between the secular and the religious within public and political spheres.